Reconstituted and empower Labour Department-PSWU

Bolgatanga, Feb 29, GNA- The Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Ghana Trade Union Congress, has appealed to government to as a matter of urgency reconstitute and resource the defunct labour Department, to help avert the numerous problems that often arise between employers and employees.

He recalled that in the past, the Labour Department, which was in-charge of recruiting personnel and addressing confrontations, was doing well in resolving conflicts between employers and employees. Mr. Richard Asueme, Industrial Relations Officer of the Upper East Branch of PSWU, made the appeal at a meeting organised by the branch to throw more light on the activities of the Union planned for the year, in Bolgatanga on Friday.

He said data on the number of employed persons was also accurately recorded by the Labour Department adding, under the present system it would be difficult for government to have accurate data on people being employed in the country.

Mr Asueme also said if the Labour Department was reconstituted and empowered, it would help in recruiting the requisite personnel for the various departments and organizations and assist in changing the hazardous conditions under which some workers were operating. He said the PSWU needed to go beyond negotiating for collective bargaining and seeking for only the welfare of workers. Mr Fuseini Braimah, vice chairman of the Upper East Branch of the PSWU, took Union Members through the Labour Act 651 of 2003. He reiterated the need for the Labour Department to be reconstituted and empowered to identify and recruit labour for the various departments in the country.

Mr Braimah noted that the department if reconstituted would help facilitate labour transfers and identify vocations suitable for the job market.

Mr. Patrick Azika Amalba, member of the Upper East branch of the PSWD, urged members to study the labour Act to empower them to enable them to insist on the rights.

Programmes earmarked for the Union this year included educating workers about the Labour Act, talk on corruption, road Safety, domestic violence, income tax, and accountability among others.